Troy Cassar-Daley must still be a celebrity because his political views are now national news.
Typically, he wants Australia Day to change.
His proposal is that it be renamed ‘Unity Day’, presumably because he thinks naming something after ‘Australia’ is inherently divisive. I’m not even going to pretend that it makes sense, but there it is.
From today’s Daily Telegraph:
“I don’t think moving the date makes much difference,” Cassar-Daley said. “If that’s the date Captain Cook arrived you can’t change history or send him home. I think to find a unique day that celebrates everyone’s diversity would be cool. That’s the only reason I think you’d try to find another day. For me, I want unity. I want people to come together. Let’s find a day that’s neutral for everyone and let’s celebrate as people who live in this great country.”
Now, I know it is a post-truth world and that fake news abounds, but someone should reach out to Troy and tell him to bone up on the facts.
Australia Day does not mark the anniversary of Captain Cook’s arrival on Australian shores. That occurred on 19 April 1770.
Australia Day marks the arrival of the First Fleet at Pork Jackson under the command of Governor Arthur Phillip on, you guessed it, 26 January 1788. It does this because that’s when the civilisation that built our laws, institutions, values, wealth, health and prosperity arrived here.
And we’re all better off as a result. That is worth celebrating.
Meanwhile, in completely unrelated news that should be related, it has now been revealed that NAPLAN testing will determine whether kids can read emojis.
Given the rumour-filled history curriculum, I can just see tomorrow’s celebrities submitting ‘essays’ on ‘Invasion Day’:
February 3, 2017
People have gone mental, why change Australia Day?
Is this kind of like saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas? Are we ashamed of the word “Australia” now just like people were offended by the word “Christmas”?
I can’t believe what’s going on anymore it’s overwhelming how people have lost all common sense.
February 1, 2017
Watching people who look as white as me, complain about “invasion” day, the stolen generation, obviously better educated than me and mine, been to university, hold prominent positions in society, given platforms to air THEIR grievances, yet as an INVADER’S descendant I have none of the aforementioned. They would be well served to to ponder the fact that had they NOT been part of a “stolen generation” they could invariably be part of a mission or at least on the handout queue.
Above ALL that, they would not enjoy their upbringing, marriage partners, their children, friends, educated living OR WOULD IT BE they wish to absolve all that and go back in time. I think not – so shut up!
Spare a thought for the “forgotten” children of Britian who were LIED to, whose parents were LIED to when told that each had died – then were transported to Australia WITHOUT all the benefits and do NOT have a platform of protest ?
Change Australia Day to a day where unity would prevail? ? ?
February 1, 2017
Just another whinger.
To me it seems that these minority groups are the ones who want to segregate Australians. To me we are all Australians and all should be equal. One thing that i am advocating is that ” We are not responsible for our ancestors actions” ( a bumper sticker i am having produced).
We as Australians should have nothing to be sorry for and nothing to be ashamed of. We did not have anything to do with the stolen generation. We were not there at the very beginning when Australia was colonised. The British did what was the norm back then and that was to spread the commonwealth. If it had been any other nation instead of the British chances are that the then tenants of this wonderful country would have been annihilated as happened in so many other countries. We need to move on and work together. But in saying that, i know that the leftist greens and labor loons just will not allow that to happen and are quite happy to cause more and more division and segregation. They all need to crawl back under their rocks and let Australia grow and prosper.
February 1, 2017
Actually Governor Arthur Phillip landed with the first fleet in Botany Bay on January 20th 1788 and it was six days later he moved the fleet to Port Jackson because it was a much better place on a natural harbour for a settlement. This is when he raised the flag of Great Britain the Union Jack.
February 1, 2017
Hi Glynis, interesting, you seem to have some good historical knowledge. Maybe you could confirm this: I seem to remember from somewhere that in fact the French almost got Aust. first. They had also arrived and were waiting offshore for favourable weather to land. A large storm that same day erupted and it was the English who were able to beat it to shore first.
February 1, 2017
Once again your making sure that our History is not being rewritten, thank you Bernard Gaynor, I’m so glad you and others like yourself exist in Australia.